Aha! is a boutique consultancy specializing in strategic planning for economic development. We are named for Aha’s founder, Amy Holloway, and draw from her 30+-year career as a prominent national strategist for more than 200 economic development and community organizations. Her clients have included some of the best-performing economies in the country. We create aha! moments that propel ideas forward and align leaders around a shared plan of action.

Individual Contact:

Amy Holloway

Phone: 512-917-3815

Email: [email protected]

Business Facilities is the leading multimedia platform connecting economic development organizations with corporate executives, site selectors, and consultants making high-impact location decisions. Through an integrated mix of print and digital solutions, and live events, we deliver your message directly to an engaged audience actively seeking new locations for relocation and expansion projects. From in-depth editorial coverage and sponsored content to targeted e-newsletters, high-visibility digital display, and exclusive hosted-buyer events like LiveXchange, Business Facilities provides multiple touchpoints to showcase your community’s advantages. Our channels work together to build awareness, generate qualified leads, and position your location as a top contender in today’s competitive site selection landscape.

Individual Contact:

Joyce Wasserman

Phone: (732) 559-1265

Email: [email protected]

Centralize your program and project management for incentives, business retention and expansion, properties, and workforce activities. Retire legacy spreadsheets and cumbersome CRMs: Unify people and processes through automated data collection, compliance, and systems supported by expert onboarding and service from former ED practitioners. CivicServe: Software for Successful Economies.

Individual Contacts:

Chris Musielak
Phone: (888) 597-0220
Email: [email protected]

Development Counsellors International (DCI) is the leader in marketing places. Since 1960, DCI has specialized in economic development and tourism marketing, helping cities, regions, states and countries attract business investment and visitors. Our integrated services include branding, public relations, digital marketing, research and talent attraction all tailored to elevate the visibility and competitiveness of places.

Individual Contacts:

Julie Curtin
President, Development Counsellors International (DCI)
Phone: (303) 956-3222
Email: [email protected]

ExportExplore provides bespoke programme design and delivery for trade and inward investment (FDI) initiatives with economic development agencies across Europe and North America, with innovative solutions in international relations, partnerships and stakeholder management.

Individual Contact:

Declan Barry, CEO

Phone: + 44 (0) 2896237541

Email: [email protected]

FDI Center is a specialized advisory firm in the field of foreign direct investment. We are entirely focused on helping governments and economic development organizations (EDOs) to attract investment. We work with countries, regions, cities, special economic zones and industrial parks from around the world to develop and implement successful strategies and approaches for attracting and retaining investment. We focus on the practical aspects of investment attraction that directly impact our clients’ day-to-day activities and performance. Our support addresses the most important activities of EDOs and helps our clients to attract investment more efficiently and successfully.

We support our clients by:

• Developing comprehensive and practical strategies for investment attraction, aftercare, and facilitation.
• Identifying target groups for investment attraction and developing tailored value propositions to approach potential investors.
• Assessing the performance of the EDO and benchmarking with competitors and best practices.
• Creating the optimal structure and processes for establishing a new investment promotion agency or restructuring an existing agency.
• Providing practical training, capacity development and coaching to the EDO’s management, team and partners.
• Determining staff profiles and requirements and helping to recruit qualified personnel.
• Developing and implementing marketing and promotional initiatives.

Individual Contact:

Kathryn Rothwell

Phone: +49-173-6786991

Email: [email protected]

Andreas Dressler

Phone: +49-176-7863 8217

Email: [email protected]

Livability highlights the nation's most vibrant small and mid-sized cities as a trusted voice for communities across America. Through Livability's custom content programs, relocating talent and business decision-makers discover your community and glean the insights they need to shortlist your area as one of the best places to live or to grow a business. Our newsstand-quality publications showcase your region’s advantages, while user-friendly digital experiences scale the reach of eye-catching photography and unique, engaging articles telling the stories of what makes your place special.

Individual Contact:

Jared Lane

Phone: (615) 771-5579

Email: [email protected] 

Placer.ai is the most advanced location analytics platform describing physical locations, the people and businesses that interact with them, and the markets they inhabit. Placer empowers thousands of local governments and civic organizations to understand consumer behavior, attract best-fit retailers and businesses, analyze marketing and event performance, assess public investments and optimize resources, boost tourism, and support local businesses to drive economic growth.

Individual Contact:

Kendahl Palmer

Phone: (206) 778-0787

Email: [email protected]

ResearchFDI is the global leader in lead generation and qualification services for economic development organizations. Through our global partnerships we cover the globe with our network of 75 economic development consultants in over 20 countries. Our consultants speak over 15 languages and can work with your region to attract inward investments within the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Founded in 2010 our company has contacts in over 43 countries around the world and can connect you with the decision makers that are making the investment decisions for their companies. FDI365 a proprietary tool launched in 2017 and developed to answer the needs of our clients that were searching for a targeted lead generation software.

FDI365 combines the newest technologies along with human curated business intelligence to provide customized profiles of companies that match your region’s criteria and that we believe to be poised for an expansion project.

Individual Contacts:
Bruce Takefman
5555 Westminster, Suite 414
Cote Saitn-Luc, QC H4W 2J2
Canada
Phone: (514) 488-3168
Email: [email protected]

Resource Development Group offers innovative solutions to elevate your revenue development and reinforce ROI to investors. Our team specializes in crafting customized solutions for each situation, whether you’re a startup organization or in your third (or eighth) funding cycle. We ONLY work with economic development organizations and chambers, and raising funds is our expertise and passion. At RDG, we build organizations that build communities!

Individual Contact:

Clint Nessmith, CEO

Phone: (912) 536-2609

Email: [email protected]